


The peace after

by BodhiTree



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Avengers Family, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Fix-It, Gen, Happy Ending, Tony Stark-centric, ghost!tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-23 21:27:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18710281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BodhiTree/pseuds/BodhiTree
Summary: SPOILERS AHEAD for Avengers Endgame.Tony and Natasha are now Ghosts trying to go through life watching their friends and family.Until they get a chance at happiness once again.A fix-it fic because we deserve it after the beautifully heartbreaking movie that was Avengers Endgame.





	The peace after

**Author's Note:**

> A fix-it fic because we deserve it after the beautifully heartbreaking movie that was Avengers Endgame. 
> 
>  
> 
> I am not an English native speaker and this is the first time I wrote a story. 
> 
> Please like and share your thoughts.

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Ghost

 

In a world of Gods, Aliens, Magic and Time Travel, becoming a Ghost was somewhat tame..Tony mused.

Now he was staring at his own body and his heart(?) twisted when he saw Pepper finally crack and let go of her tears.

Steve and Thor came close and sat down near his body. Thor held a hand to Tony's cheek and tears were pouring from his eyes. Steve looked stiff and still in shock..slowly he reached and closed Tony eyes.

Incredible sadness washed over the ghost Tony. Not for his death, but mainly for Pepper, Morgan, Peter and all his friends. No his family.

He slowly drifted down and stood right next to Pepper and touched her hair and silently sobbed.. she could not feel him or see him but Tony was surprised he could slightly feel her.

He looked around and saw the death of their army and wondered if they had become ghosts too. Suddenly he felt selfish. He was not the only one who died today! There were so many dead in the battle field. Earthlings and Aliens alike.

But they had won. The vanished people came back. Peter came back! Tony could not take it anymore..he could not stand being there in the ruins and the smoke. He was allowed a selfish moment. He was dead!

He turned away and thought of his lake house..Next thing he knew he was standing in his kitchen. The very spot he had decided to agree to the time travel plan. Tony did not regret his death. But, God he wished his daughter could see him alive! Could hug him, could eat juice pops with him. She was just 4 years old and did not deserve this pain.

 

It was hours later when everyone came to the lake house. There was a casket. Tony sat on his roof watching everybody silently. He saw them mourn. He heard their kind words. He felt cold and empty.

He wanted to touch Pepper again but something stopped him. He was no longer living. Perhaps he did not have the right.

 

He sat there on his roof, crying in ghostly form, helpless and wretched. Why hadn't he moved on yet. Why was he still stuck as a Ghost. Unmoving. Terrified and filled with such grief.

 

He watched Steve take the stones and Thor's hammer and disappear into the Time machine. He came back in 10 seconds and immediately wobbled and shakily stood up and gave the thumbs up with a tired smile. He had done it then. Returned the stones to their rightful place in their time.

 

At that point, it suddenly sunk in. The Universe was saved. They had won. He felt a surge of joy. The World was safe. His baby maguna was safe.

 

"Natasha" he whispered. She deserved a funeral too. They were her only family. She was responsible for saving the universe. Why hadn't he thought of it before. Nat must have become a ghost too. He thought of Vormir and tried to imagine how it might look like and immediately the next second, he was hovering over a white-grey vast valley beside a cliff with huge stone pillars.

 

"Tony?" A quiet voice in disbelief whispered and he saw her. Sitting on the edge, her feet dangling. He flew towards her and sat beside her.

 

"You are dead too". She whispered brokenly and laid her head against his shoulder. He pulled her to him in a tight embrace and said "yeah" equally quietly.

 

They sat there.. not really thinking and silent when Tony spoke. "Did it hurt when you fell?" Tony asked her with a small mischievous grin and Nat just hit him with her hand and said "Wanna find out?".

 

"Come on we gotta go.." Tony said as he pulled Nat up. "Go where? Earth?". "Yeah, I want to see them again." Me, too". But I tried Tony.. I couldn't move away from this spot. "It's ok, you are with me now. Hold on tight". Tony thought hard of the Avengers Tower and the next second they were sitting on the couch in the living area.

 

"We did it.."Nat breathed and whooped and flew to the ceiling.

 

\---------------------------------

Months passed..Natasha was now a permanent ghost in Clint's house. She had discovered that if she really concentrated then she could move small objects. She found immense joy in haunting Clint especially. Hiding his arrows, making him miss the targets, dropping stuff on his head.

 Clint had immediately figured it out that Natasha was the ghost and could not help his joy. They found a way to communicate through writing messages. Clint still had Shield missions and Natasha would tag along. Surprisingly they worked well. Being a Ghost gave them an advantage. She could scout and go into any place she wanted. Clint never thought he would have that much fun with this situation.

 

Tony too went back to his lake house and started living there. He did not intrude too much on Pepper because he felt he did not have that right and he would not violate her privacy. He wanted her to be happy and move on. Stark Industries was flourishing under her leadership and his heart swelled with pride to see her being strong and taking care of both SI and Morgan.

 

 

Surprisingly Steve was sometimes Morgan's baby sitter. Steve had requested it from Pepper few days after Tony's memorial. Tony watched Steve tell stories about Morgan's brave dad, their many many adventures together. He painted pictures with her, played with her and answered her every question. Steve had the same seriousness and earnestness in taking care of a child as much as he had in fighting a war. Tony could see that Steve loved these moments with Morgan.

There was something about their real self coming out when people talked to children. Steve felt guilty for the many years lost when he could have been with Tony. His fear and guilt had kept him away. A surge of affection so strong bloomed inside Tony and his eyes filled with tears.

 

Tony was pleased to see that Morgan was quite a handful. She was intelligent, full of mischief and could not sit still. It amused him to see Steve run behind Morgan and then get exhausted and give up.

 

At night, Pepper, Morgan and Steve sometimes had dinner together and then Steve would leave to go back to his small rented home nearby. Pepper had been initially hesitant to let Steve look after Morgan, but she saw how much this meant to him. She knew he felt closer to Tony and this somewhat lessened his guilt and she could see he genuinely loved Morgan.

 

Steve had given the shield to Sam and announced he had retired, unless there were any emergencies. Sam and Bucky were a great team and could go on many missions together.

 

Tony was an inventor. He could not really sit idly for more than few days. Immediately after he discovered that he could move small objects and touch things if he concentrated, Tony started working in their garage. He was very quiet about it and only worked when no one could hear him.

Pepper had locked his garage-workshop in his memory and that worked perfect for Tony. No one really ventured there anymore. His idea was to build a device which could detect his energy. Tony knew ghosts and spirits carried unique manifestation of energy and all energy could be detected by the right technology.

Although the idea was great, manifesting it was proving extremely difficult. Many of his equipment was now destroyed in the collapse of the compound. Also he could not really move the heavier machinery or communicate with Friday or his Robots. He then switched on his computer and was able to type out the code required to communicate with Friday. He worked on his project for weeks, but it was proving more and more difficult.

 

 

One Saturday afternoon, Dr Stephen Strange visited his lake house. And that changed everything.

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Tony was sitting on his favourite tree half asleep when he saw a portal opening on the dock. Stephen himself came through and shut the portal back. He was in his casual clothes with his faithful cloak over his shoulders. Tony could not help but wonder why on earth had Stephen come to his house. Suddenly Stephen lifted his head and his stormy grey-blue eyes locked with Tony's and he gave a small smile.

 

Tony gasped and slipped from the tree. Although it did not hurt, he was too shocked. This was the first time in months, someone knew Tony was around. Stephen walked closer to him and said "Hi Tony..can we talk". Tony could only numbly nod. They walked to a wooden bench near by and sat there. Stephen began to talk.."Tony.. I cannot even imagine to understand what you must be feeling right now. I have come to ask your forgiveness. I owe you an explanation. If there had been a way, any other way to save everyone without sacrificing you, I would have done it in a heartbeat." Tony did not know what to say. He was now in peace with his death. Although initially he had been angry at the unfairness of it all. "Strange.. it's okay.." He sighed. He was no longer sad now. Then Stephen surprised him again..."I found a way. To bring you back to the dimension of the living or atleast bring you close to being alive once again in the physical sense. Only if you are willing." "Whh..What..!?" Tony could not believe it. "The universe is kind Tony. It recognized yours and Natasha's sacrifice. It is one of the reasons your spirits lingered while others moved on. It has given a way to bring you back. I spoke to Natasha earlier today and she has agreed."

 

Tony could not help it. His non-existent heart was beating really fast and tears streamed from his eyes as Stephen watched him patiently. Slowly he took one of Tony's hands within his. It was the first time in months Tony had a human contact that they both could feel. "Yes.." He finally whispered and looked into his eyes. Stephen gave him a proud and relieved smile.

 

Natasha suddenly appeared there too, and Tony was by her side in a second hugging her. Stephen made them both stand at a spot while he chanted some spells and created a white dome around them. Tony felt warmth coarse through him and he could feel more and more awareness coming back. When the dome disappeared. He looked down at his body and he could feel it. His heart thumping, his jelly like legs. Nat was on her knees, panting slightly and she shakily got up.

 

They were back. They were alive. Tony and Nat ran to Stephen and hugged him so tightly he could swear they made Stephen to stop breathing.

 

When they finally broke apart, Stephen cautioned them that he would first tell others that they were back to not give them heart attacks.

Stephen went inside the house and emerged few minutes later with Pepper and Steve and Morgan. They all ran towards them and amidst the tightest hug he had ever felt, with super soldier arms around his neck and Morgan's tiny hand gripping his pant, he heard Pepper's choked voice" Tony.. Tony..! ".

 

Steve's composure had completely broken, and he was kissing and simultaneously trying to hug both Tony and Nat. Nat was laughing and crying and the emptiness she had felt all these past months of being a spirit was now gone.  Pepper was now holding Morgan on her hip and weeping with joy silently.

Stephen stood by the side watching them. He finally felt right. From the moment Tony had died, Stephen was able to see his spirit. He had not let anyone, especially Tony know that he could see and feel him. He had felt guilty to even look at Tony. Later the months and sleepless nights he had spent in finding and perfecting the spells were all worth this very moment.

 

Pepper came near Stephen and hugged him and whispered a fervent Thank you. Morgan had now spotted Stephen's cloak peeking and trying unsuccessfully to hide behind a tree and gave a gleeful shout and scrambled out of her mother’s arms and went to chase after it.

 

From that night and the many many days after that, one would find all the six avengers always close together. They were now living together in the newly furnished Avengers compound. Thor and Bruce had come back. Clint had decided to stay here for a while. Pepper and Morgan too sometimes joined them but Pepper had a multi-billion dollar company to run and wanted to keep Morgan safe so they both still stayed at their lake house, with Tony going back and forth.

 

Tony could not remember a time when he was this happy. Sure there were the occasional villains and fights, but that was the most exhilarating part. Fighting alongside his closest possible people, he had never felt so alive.


End file.
